• Loading stock data...
Monday, February 10, 2025

Premier League Says No to U.S. Regular-Season Games

Every major U.S. men’s pro league wants to play more games internationally, including some in England, but that country’s Premier League has a much more homebound strategy. 

Aug 3, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior (7) in action during the second half against Barcelona at MetLife Stadium.
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

While every major U.S. men’s pro sports league is pushing to play as many international games as possible, England’s Premier League wants nothing of the sort. 

Premier League chief football officer Tony Scholes said Tuesday there is “no interest in playing [regular-season] games abroad,” including in the U.S. That sentiment arrives despite a legal settlement last year in which FIFA will no longer block domestic games being played in the territories of other federations. 

LaLiga, which battles the Premier League for global supremacy in pro soccer, has long sought to have matches in the U.S., particularly its famed El Clásico rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The Premier League, however, has no plans to play in the U.S. beyond offseason friendlies. 

“We don’t feel the need to come play in the U.S. during the season proper, and you’ll understand the challenges that would present in the U.K. as well,” Scholes said in response to a Front Office Sports question during a midseason briefing with U.S. media outlets. 

Contrasting Strategies

The Premier League’s sentiment directly counters an accelerating global push across many major U.S. leagues to play regular-season games outside of North America. Among the recent efforts:

“[Playing internationally] is not on our agenda, and no discussions are taking place,” Scholes said.

Rising Parity

Scholes, meanwhile, lauded the current competitive state of the Premier League, which is showing considerably more balance than it has in many years. After Manchester City won the last four league titles in unprecedented fashion, and six of the last seven, that club now stands in fifth place, 15 points behind first-place Liverpool. 

More notable is the ongoing rise of third-place Nottingham Forest, playing in just its third season back in the Premier League after a quarter-century in lower tiers of competition. Bournemouth, meanwhile, is in seventh place, and pushing for a potential spot in the Champions League after previously falling to as low as the fourth tier of England’s soccer pyramid.

“Who would have predicted at this stage of the season, more than halfway through, that Nottingham Forest would be in third place, being realistic challengers if not for the title but for the Champions League?” Scholes said.

Scholes credited a number of factors for the rising parity, including better coaching and player development, and a somewhat more even revenue distribution within the Premier League compared to other entities in the sport.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Fox Sports NFL Sunday analyst Michael Strahan (left) and Fox Sports NFL Sunday analyst Jimmie Johnson (right) react before Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome.

Jimmy Johnson Stops Short of Retirement After Fox Sports Tribute

Fox ran a tribute to Jimmy Johnson’s career during the Super Bowl pregame.
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Recording artist SZA and recording artist Kendrick Lamar perform during halftime Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome.

Nike’s Huge Super Bowl: From Jalen Hurts to Kendrick and Serena

Kendrick Lamar wore Nikes in the halftime show; Serena Williams wore Converse.
Doncic protest

Mavs Owner Patrick Dumont Defends Luka Trade While Mark Cuban Mocks It

Dumont insisted that his team won’t move to Las Vegas.
Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; The 2024 NFL London Games, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears logo on the facade at an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Do NFL Players Want an International Super Bowl?

Players told Front Office Sports where it should be held.

Featured Today

Brady and Mahomes

Chiefs Fatigue Is Real. It’s Nowhere Near Patriots Hate Yet

People who have covered both teams say the difference is stark.
Nov 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley (26) after the Eagles defeat the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium.
February 7, 2025

How the Eagles Reinvented Championship Roster Construction

Philadelphia is one of the most innovative franchises in the NFL.
February 3, 2025

‘Ultimate Throwback’: The Unimpeachable Cool of Hartford Whalers Gear

Nostalgia and street cred have driven a consistent frenzy for merch.
January 20, 2024; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Kristin Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44), before a 2024 NFC divisional round game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium.
February 1, 2025

The New WAGs: Sports Wives Building Business Empires

Athletes’ wives and girlfriends are bucking stereotypes and cashing in.

YouTube Golf Goes Pro: Peoples League Joins Creator Competition Boom

A new league is launching for golf content creators.
February 9, 2025

Pricey Contracts, Stadium Talks Will Heat Up NFL Offseason

The 49ers and Vikings have big decisions to make about QBs who will be expensive.
February 9, 2025

New Orleans Native Lil Wayne Skipping Super Bowl After Kendrick Lamar Scuffle

His disappointment turned into an ad campaign, but he still isn’t attending.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
February 9, 2025

LIV Golf Players Can Still Wear Shorts—If It’s Hot Enough

Pants will only be required in certain temperatures, FOS has learned.
February 7, 2025

NWSL Commish: Our Teams Can Be ‘As Valuable As an NFL Team’

Jessica Berman called her clubs an “undervalued asset class.”
Feb 6, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Recording artist Kendrick Lamar poses for a photo during a press conference for the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show at Media Center
February 7, 2025

Kendrick Lamar’s High-Risk, High-Reward Super Bowl Halftime Show

The performance is a boon for the league—but not without complications.
Maverick Carter
February 7, 2025

Singapore, Saudi PIF Among Investors in Int’l Basketball League

The league is advised by Maverick Carter, a longtime friend of LeBron James.